Boolean Algebra and Logic Gates

Minterms and Maxterms

 A minterm (standard product): an AND term
consists of all literals in their normal form or
in their complement form.
 For example, two binary variables x and y,
 xy, xy', x'y, x'y'
 It is also called a standard product.
 n variables can be combined to form 2n minterms.
A maxterm (standard sums): an OR term
 It is also called a standard sum.
 2n maxterms.
 Each maxterm is the complement of its
corresponding minterm, and vice versa.
A Boolean function can be expressed by
 A truth table
 Sum of minterms
 f1 = x'y'z + xy'z' + xyz = m1 + m4 +m7 (Minterms)
 f2 = x'yz+ xy'z + xyz'+xyz = m3 + m5 +m6 + m7
(Minterms)
 The complement of a Boolean function
 The minterms that produce a 0
 f1' = m0 + m2 +m3 + m5 + m6 = x'y'z'+x'yz'+x'yz+xy'z+xyz'
 f1 = (f1')'
= (x+y+z)(x+y'+z) (x+y'+z') (x'+y+z')(x'+y'+z) = M0 M2 M3 M5
M6
 f2 = (x+y+z)(x+y+z')(x+y'+z)(x'+y+z)=M0M1M2M4
 Any Boolean function can be expressed as
 A sum of minterms (“sum” meaning the ORing of
terms).
 A product of maxterms (“product” meaning the
ANDing of terms).
 Both boolean functions are said to be in Canonical
form.
 Example2.4: express F = A+BC' as a sum of
minterms.
 F = A+B'C = A (B+B') + B'C
= AB +AB' + B'C
= AB(C+C') + AB'(C+C') + (A+A')B'C
= ABC+ABC'+AB'C+AB'C'+A'B'C
 F = A'B'C +AB'C' +AB'C+ABC'+ ABC
F = m1 + m4 +m5 + m6 + m7
F(A, B, C) = S(1, 4, 5, 6, 7)
 or, built the truth table first
 Productof maxterms: using distributive law
to expand.
 x + yz = (x + y)(x + z) = (x+y+zz')(x+z+yy')
= (x+y+z)(x+y+z')(x+y'+z)
 Example 2.5: express F = xy + x'z as a
product of maxterms.
 F = xy + x'z = (xy + x')(xy +z)
= (x+x')(y+x')(x+z)(y+z)
= (x'+y)(x+z)(y+z)
 x'+y = x' + y + zz' = (x'+y+z)(x'+y+z')
 F = (x+y+z)(x+y'+z)(x'+y+z)(x'+y+z')
 F = M0M2M4M5
 F(x, y, z) = P(0, 2, 4, 5)
 The complement of a function expressed as the sum of minterms
equals the sum of minterms missing from the original function.

 F(A, B, C) = S(1, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Thus, F'(A, B, C) = S(0, 2, 3)
F'(A, B, C) = m0+m2+m3

 Taking complement both sides: By De-Morgan's theorem

F(A, B, C) = (m0+m2+m3) '

F(A, B, C) = m0' .m2' .m3'
= M0.M2.M3
= P(0, 2, 3)
 Sum of minterms = product of maxterms
 Interchange the symbols S and P and list those numbers missing from
the original form
 S of 1's
 P of 0's
 Example
 F = xy + xz
 F(x, y, z) = S(1, 3, 6, 7)
 F(x, y, z) = P (0, 2, 4, 6)
 Standardforms: the terms that form the
function may contain one, two, or any
number of literals.

 Sum of products: F1 = y' + xy+ x'yz'

 Product of sums: F2 = x(y'+z)(x'+y+z')
 Two-level implementation

F1 = y' + xy+ x'yz'

F2 = x(y'+z)(x'+y+z')
 Multi-level implementation
 n
2 rows in the truth table of n binary
variables.
n
 22 functions for n binary variables.
 16 functions of two binary variables.
 Extension to multiple inputs
 A gate can be extended to multiple inputs.
 If its binary operation is commutative and associative.
 AND and OR are commutative and associative.
 OR
 x+y = y+x
 (x+y)+z = x+(y+z) = x+y+z
 AND
 xy = yx
 (x y)z = x(y z) = x y z
 NAND and NOR are commutative but not
associative → they are not extendable.

Figure 2.6 Demonstrating the nonassociativity of the NOR operator;

(x ↓ y) ↓ z ≠ x ↓(y ↓ z)
 Multiple NOR = a complement of OR gate,
Multiple NAND = a complement of AND.
 The cascaded NAND operations = sum of products.
 The cascaded NOR operations = product of sums.

Figure 2.7 Multiple-input and cascaded NOR and NAND gates

 The XOR and XNOR gates are commutative and
associative.
 Multiple-input XOR gates are uncommon.
 XOR is an odd function: it is equal to 1 if the
inputs variables have an odd number of 1's.

Figure 2.8 3-input XOR gate